More than words

I HEARD that the Japanese have recently come out with a camera with such a high-speed shutter that it can actually take a picture of a woman with her mouth closed while she is talking. Amazing!

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In today's Gospel (Mt. 15, 21-28) Jesus encounters a talkative and persistent Canaanite woman, asking Him to heal her daughter tormented by a demon. It is not so much her words, but her humility and faith that finally prevail upon Jesus to give in to her request and lead Him to say: "O woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish."

Take note, Jesus did not say "Woman, great are your words." More than words, it is the heart and the works that follow the words that really matter.

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The national crisis we are facing now will not be resolved as long as we stay on the level of words, press releases, charges and counter-charges. I do not belittle the value of words. But if the whole thing becomes a battle of who is the loudest and who is the wisest, then we will not be able to move on. I pray that at some point, somebody will just come out and say "I'm sorry" and really mean it, and proceed to real peace, reconciliation and change of heart. It is almost impossible to expect this at this point in time, and at this stage of the game, but then, nothing is impossible with God.

Anything can happen. In the snap of a finger, God can change anything, and everything. Let us not belittle and let us not box out the presence and the power of God in whatever we are going through right now. That's the problem with those who are verbose, they become callous, even to God's word.

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Someone once said that a lot of people suffer indigestion because they have to eat their own words. We have a lot of people eating their own words these days, but they don't seem to suffer indigestion at all. They even go on for the second serving! And third! The reason why some people cannot eat their words is because they cannot admit their mistakes and they cannot swallow their pride. When a person eats his/her own words, he/she usually goes on to utter more words to put up a smoke screen to obscure the truth and to hide his/her lies. In such a situation, healing doesn't happen, and the stone-throwing doesn't end.

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Don't you feel sometimes that we are like dogs waiting for scraps that fall from our masters' table? When you see the lifestyle of our elected officials, don't you feel like asking yourself "Where's our share?" And when you hear them speak with pride and arrogance, don't you feel like asking yourself "Is he/she not a public servant who gets his/her mandate and salary from us, the taxpayers?"

Somehow, the picture must change. Instead of public servants seated with their mouths full, they must be up and about serving as waiters those of us who should be seated at the table, don't you think so?

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There are two very powerful lines the Canaanite woman uttered in today's Gospel. The first is "Have pity on me," and the second one is "Lord, help me." The first is the acknowledgement of one's sins, and the second is the acknowledgement of one's helplessness. Unless and until we sincerely repent (not only in words but also in deeds), and surrender to God, there can be no real and sustained healing and conversion. The problem with the rich and the powerful is that they never quite realize the meaning of mercy and helplessness because they have so much resources at their beck and call. But in time, they will -- hopefully, at their deathbed. They will die too, right?

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Have you ever cried with your God in prayer? Have you experienced turning desperately to God, and without words just allow your humble, contrite and helpless heart to be embraced by His love? If you have, then you know what true prayer is, and you are very, very close to God's heart.

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Truth is dangerously becoming a scarce commodity in our country these days. Lying, cheating and corruption are beginning to be almost a given in our Filipino culture. This is the sad legacy of a very greedy few who amass wealth and hold on to power by all means. We all hurt people in one way or another, but to hurt a whole nation and the coming generation with our selfishness and greed, and rob them of their hope and dreams are things that we should not allow in this our beloved land. Lord, have pity on us! Lord, help us!

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Inviting you for a pilgrimage to Naju, Korea from September19-24, 2005. For more information please contact +63 2 8446011 and +63 2 8437997.

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Inviting you to join a national pilgrimage in honor of Our Lady of Mediatrix of All Grace on September 12, 2005 (8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) at the Carmelite Monastery in Lipa, to ask the intercession of Our Lady for our nation. It's Our Lady's Assumption tomorrow. She will raise us up from the quagmires which we have made and which others have made for us. Amen!

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A moment with the Lord:

Lord, more than words, help us to love you with our hearts and with our works. Amen.